The College Experience
by halcyar
Summary: Emma and Killian are both college students struggling to heal from the pasts they left behind. This is a collection of one shots that shows the journey and the connection forged between two random individuals that becomes so much more. [CH. 8: Studying for Finals a la Killian]
1. Studying for Finals

**Studying for Finals **[College AU]

**Summary**: Emma is studying for her final & Killian stops by with the Starbucks she asked him to get for her.

**A/N**: This story was originally on my writing blog [writtenfantasy on tumblr], but I'm posting this on ffnet due to a request from an anon. It was originally a short little drabble, but my muse leveled up and made it evolve into something more. Due to popular demand, there will be another chapter that will immediately follow the events of this one, so it'll kinda sorta be a two-shot? Or just a one-shot divided into two chapters because I got lazy to finishing it in the first go… Harharhar… Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! :]

**A/N #2: I CHANGED THE TITLE OF THIS STORY. IT USED TO BE CALLED "STUDYING FOR FINALS", BUT I DECIDED THAT THIS WILL JUST BECOME A SERIES OF ONE-SHOTS IN THIS UNIVERSE. THERE WILL BE AN EVENTUAL END (I guess it'll be when they actually get together idk yet), BUT YEAH. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. THIS HAS BEEN A PSA. CARRY ON.**

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"I have an order of one venti hot chocolate with cinnamon and a warmed chocolate chip muffin for my favorite lass."

Emma lifted her head from her textbook and saw her neighbor bearing gifts from the Starbucks gods. She had been cooped up in her corner of the library since early that morning. It was now nearing dusk and her food supply had long since run out. Emma immediately grabbed the drink from his hands and gulped it greedily.

"Killian you're a lifesaver," she moaned.

"That's me, Super Killian to the rescue," he chuckled. Killian took the seat next to her and peered at her open notebook. "All I see are equations and symbols but no numbers."

Emma leaned back in her chair and groaned, running her fingers through her hair. "I _know_. I can't remember the last time I saw an actual number. Remind me again why I decided to take this class?"

Killian smirked and slung his arm onto the back of her chair. He leaned in close to her, and said coyly, "Because I made the class sound so good?"

Emma's heart started beating faster at the close proximity. She can't remember when her… _feelings_ for this man became so intense. Yes, she liked him more than a friend, despite having known each other for barely four months. They clicked instantly upon meeting each other at the beginning of the school year. She was struggling to carry boxes from her car when he happened to pop out of his studio apartment to greet the neighbor, having moved in the day prior. Since then this bond was formed, something beyond friendship that couldn't quite be explained. They definitely had their moments together that made it seem like- but to use the "L" word to label her feelings, so soon- it would be admitting to something she knew she wasn't ready for.

_Especially after Ne-_ She let out a huff, rolled her eyes, and took a bite out of her muffin.

"Oh beautiful muffin of chocolate, I forgot how much I love the taste of you," cooed Emma. If her muffin was a fluffy little puppy she would have nuzzled its nose and pat its head lovingly. Killian snorted at her actions.

"What, no love for the handsome Irish man who went on a Starbucks run for you, darling?" He pursed his lips and attempted a smoulder. Emma quietly laughed at him.

"Every time you do that I always think of Flynn from _Tangled_."

"You wound me, love. If anything I would be a more roguish Disney character, like that Jack Sparrow. Now there's a man I can admire."

"If we're choosing from Disney pirates then you'd be Captain Hook."

Killian clutched his heart with his free hand. "Captain Hook? Lass, you wound me ever so. Have you not seen me?"

_Oh, I see you alright._

"You can totally pull off the oversized hat and pointy mustache look," teased Emma, continuing to take small bites of her muffin. Her eyes fluttered at the taste of chocolate. "Mhm yes. This was most definitely needed."

Before she could take another bite Killian grabbed the hand that held the muffin and took a bite of it, maintaining eye contact the whole time. Emma could feel her face heat up while he was chewing. His tongue darted out to get the crumbs on his lips, and the action made her stomach flip pleasantly. He let her hand go and smirked. "I can see why this treat would get you so… _excited_."

Emma blinked once and proceeded to smack his head.

"What the bloody hell?!"

"Forget being Captain Hook. You should be called Captain Innuendo."

Killian chuckled. "Darling, you know you adore my teasing, especially when they elicit such _telling_reactions from you." He waggled his eyebrows at her and gave a shit-eating grin. It took every inch of Emma's willpower to not punch him in the face. Killian had the exceptional talent to make her either want to physically harm him or to do… _other_ things to him. She chose to roll her eyes instead.

"You know, I heard that if you roll your eyes too many times they get stuck like that."

Emma rolled her eyes again to spite him. Killian crinkled his in amusement.

She finished the last bit of her muffin and took a swig of her hot chocolate, glancing at her textbook and notebook. "Don't you also have finals to study for?"

"Me? Why, I finished my last one this morning."

"You lucky bastard."

"I know. My lovely mistress the bed has been deprived of me all week. I now have the chance to come back and show her just how much I missed her. We will have such a torrid love affair tonight. I apologize for all the noise ahead of time, love."

Emma facepalmed, causing Killian to burst into a fit of laughter. The pair received an annoyed "Shhh!" from a nearby table. Emma smacked Killian once more as he calmed himself. _This man_…

"What would my life be like without you, Killian?"

"What indeed."

The sudden softness of his voice caused Emma to look at him and her heart stopped. He was giving her one of his rare, heartwarming smiles. The one where his lips tugged a bit more upward than his usual smiles. His teeth were on full display, and _god did she adore his teeth_. His eyes were crinkled and held a certain warmth to them. Looking into them made her feel like she meant something, like she was the most important person in the world, like he _loved_ her or something, _but that was ridiculous_…

"Well, darling, I'm beat. I'm going to head back to my place and sleep like the dead."

Killian stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, trailing his lips to the shell of her ear. "Good luck, Emma."

Feeling his warm breath sent shivers down her spine and made her feel a pleasant fuzzy feeling in her chest. She turned her head so she was looking right at him. Mere inches separated their faces. _I never noticed those gold flecks in his eyes before…_ She saw his eyes flicker to her lips for a brief moment, the action causing her heart to beat faster. She unknowingly angled her head upwards, also glancing at his lips. When she looked back into his eyes, she felt a shock of electricity course through her. He stared intently at her, a real smoulder. He leaned in closer to her, his hand moving from her shoulder to cup her cheek. She could feel his lips ghosting upon hers and she already knows that whatever is going to happen is going to be _so damn good_and_-_

"Emma! There you are!"

The two jolted back from each other and swiveled their heads in the direction of the call. Ashley, Emma's classmate, was walking towards them, books in hand. "Sorry I took so long. I had trouble finding this place." She stopped when she realized Killian was also there. "Hi I'm Ashley! Are you here to study with us too?"

Killian shook himself out of his stupor and gave the girl a tight smile. "Nope. I just dropped by to give Emma her drink. I'll leave you two lovely lasses to your studying." With a nod to Emma, he walked away from the table.

Ashley was still looking at his retreating form as she took the seat across from Emma. She whistled. "Man, is he hot or what?"

Emma gave her an irritated glance, still trying to calm herself down from what almost transpired. "Yeah, sure."

She grabbed her notebook and flipped through the pages in an attempt to get back into the studying mood.

_What the hell was _**_that_**_?!_

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Reviews and criticisms are welcome. Thank you so much again for reading this! If you ever want to swap OUAT theories and fangirl about Captain Swan, holler at me at sw33td3m0n on tumblr. Have a nice day/night/whatever-time-it-is-when-you-read-this. :]


	2. Late Night Facial

**Late Night Facial**

**Summary**: Emma finally has a rare night off to herself and decides to celebrate by treating herself. However, she receives an unexpected late night guest who is in need of a distraction.

**A/N**: This fic is in the same universe as **Studying for Finals**. It takes place about two months after Emma & Killian first met. I've been writing this on & off in between studying for my own finals, so hopefully it's coherent enough haha. I hope you enjoy the story! :]

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**Knock. Knock. Knock.**

_Who in their right mind is knocking so goddamn late?_

Emma finished the last of her midterms that day and had a rare night off from work. She decided to celebrate by relaxing in her living room. She had her television on some random late night celebrity gossip talk show (_What happened to you, Amanda Bynes?_) while having a mini-facial. She was about to put her face mask on when the knock came. Emma checked her phone for the time and cursed.

_11:32 pm? This person better have a good reason.._.

Emma got up from her sofa and made her way to open the door. A disheveled Killian awaited her. He was in grey sweats, a rumpled black t-shirt, and he look exhausted. Locks of hair were pointing in random directions. His eyes were rimmed red, _as if he was crying_.

"… Hello," said Emma when Killian failed to say anything. Her greeting caused him to blink rapidly and refocus on the person before him.

"Oh, uh, hello there, lass." He seemed almost surprised that she was there. Emma stared at him, indicating for him to explain why he was making a late-night house call. Killian looked at the ground under her scrutiny.

"… I had trouble sleeping, so I stepped out for some fresh air and I saw that your light was on… I didn't realize I actually knocked on your door."

_He sounds so miserable_.

"I'll stop bothering you. I apologize for the intrusion." Killian made to walk back to his apartment, but Emma quickly grabbed his arm before he could take more than a few steps. Startled, he turned back and looked at her. She gave him a small smile.

"It looks like you could use some company. C'mon in. I'm not doing much anyways." She gently tugged on his arm, leading him into her apartment. She closed the door after them. They both sat down on her couch, sitting a reasonable distance away from each other.

"Do you…. Do you want to talk about it?"

Killian averted his eyes to the television screen. "I'd rather not."

Emma observed him in silence as he seemingly shifted his attention to the latest gossip. He held himself tensely. She noted that he had both his hands on his knees, knuckles tight. His jaw was clenched, as if he was barely holding himself together. Emma understood completely, having been there multiple times; wanting to reach out to someone, but not knowing how, not knowing whether that person will take your emotions and throw it in your face. He once called her an open book. Likewise, she could read him just as well. Him and her… they understand each other. It's always been "look out for yourself and you'll never get hurt." She doesn't know what happened to him before they met, but she realized that it broke him the same way her past broke her. What he needed was a distraction from his inner demons.

"In that case," Emma started, going back to her supplies on the coffee table, "You can join me in my me-time."

There was a slight upward tug to Killian's lips. "'Me-time'? If you needed a helping hand for your _late night activity_, all you needed was to ask."

"What are you-" Emma's face flushed once she realized the implication. She balled her fist and gently socked him in the arm. "I swear to god, Killian! Do you have to turn everything into a sexual joke?" His lips slowly widened into a smile at her reaction. He lessened the grip on his knees and, leaning back into the sofa, quirked an eyebrow at her. Emma narrowed her eyes at him.

"If you must know, 'me-time' is when I do mini spa treatments for myself. It's nothing like what you're insinuating," she explained. She went back to the supplies on the table and picked out two foil packets. She gestured one of the items at him.

"It's a Korean face mask that my coworker said I should try out. She gave me a few samples to see if I'd like it. Since you're here you can try one with me."

Emma handed him a light pink packet. Killian stared at it.

"You want my face to smell like a rose?"

"You're the one who came a-knockin' during my me-time. Once you're in 'Casa de Swan' all the rules must be followed."

"But how come yours has the ocean on it?"

"Because I want to feel like a fresh ocean breeze."

"And you want me to smell like a flower. How thoughtful, lass."

Emma smiled cheekily at him. "You just have to embrace your inner flower that's waiting to bloom, Killian."

"I'll show you what's waiting to bloody bloom," he muttered under his breath. Emma chuckled and ripped open her packaging. She pulled out what appeared to be a paper face mask. There were holes cut out for eyes and a mouth and there was a slit for the nose. She placed the mask on her face and patted it down, making it stick to her face. Killian stared at her incredulously.

"You look like a ghost."

"Watch it buddy. This ghost is gonna look fabulous in 20 minutes." Emma motioned at the packet in his hands. "It's your turn. Put it on."

Killian opened his packet and pulled out the face mask as well. He eyed it apprehensively. "How is this supposed to do anything to my face?"

"There's a special serum in it that's supposed to do the trick. Hurry up and put it on!"

He continued to eye the offending paper mask. Emma sighed and grabbed it from him. She moved in closer so her knees were touching his thigh. She placed a hand on the side of his face and guided it so it was facing hers, and for a brief moment she faltered. His emotions were laid barren in his eyes. Despite his now somewhat happy tone, he looked hurt, tired, confused, lost. Broken. She knew that he knew what she saw, and he began to pull his face away. She kept her hand firm to keep him from moving. She unconsciously caressed his cheek before pulling her hand away and put the face mask on him. She patted it down for him, all the while he was looking at her. She avoided making eye contact with him while doing so. She pulled away and viewed her finished work.

"There. Now we both look like ghosts."

She could still feel his gaze on her when she repositioned herself. She didn't move back to her original placement on the couch. Emma was close enough to feel his body heat. She didn't know what else to offer him. The facial idea was a spur of the moment. She respected his desire to not talk about what was bothering him. She knew she would have acted the same. They haven't even known each other for too long. Barely two months was it? Yet they seem to have this connection… and it was _scaring_her. Not wanting to go down that train of thought, she tried to distract herself with actions instead.

"Uh, here, we can take a picture to commemorate this night of ghost…ness… yeah?"

Emma grabbed her phone and turned the camera on. Before she was about to take a picture of the two of them Killian draped his arm across her shoulders and leaned in closely, his cheek brushing against her temple. Once the picture was taken she showed the photo to Killian. He took the phone from her grasp and looked at it closely. After seeming to find what he was looking for he handed her back her phone. He smiled warmly at her, his eyes crinkling with something she couldn't quite place.

"We seem to make quite the pair, Emma."

Emma felt her breath catch in her throat. He rarely said her name, but when he did it made her feel these pleasant feelings in her chest and made her want to- She placed her phone back on the table and leaned back into the sofa.

"Yeah, I guess we do," she replied softly.

Suddenly, he placed his hand over hers and squeezed it. The action caught her by surprise, but Emma understood the intent behind it. She felt how grateful he was for the momentary distraction, even though she felt like she didn't really do much at all. She turned her hand over so their fingers were entwined and squeezed his hand back, letting him know that she didn't mind. She made to let go of his hand, but his grip tightened on hers. She glanced at him, but his gaze was once again fixed on the television screen. Unlike earlier, he seemed more relaxed now, more at ease. Here they were, two people with face masks on watching bad television on a Wednesday night. She redirected her attention to the TV screen and watched in relaxed silence, fingers in a loose tangle. After a few minutes she felt him slowly lean in her direction until his head was resting on top of hers.

She noticed that his breathing evened out and looked at him. He fell asleep. Emma smiled to herself. She gently removed her hand from his and moved Killian so he was leaning back. She pulled her mask off, tossed it in the small trash can under the coffee table, and rubbed the remaining serum into her face. She then peeled Killian's off and tossed it away. He didn't stir during the process.

_He must have been super exhausted…_

She brought her hand to his face once more and glided her fingers across his cheek bone. No movement at all. Emma got up and did her best to rearrange Killan's body so it was laid across her sofa. She went to her bedroom to retrieve a spare blanket she had. She draped it across his body. He fidgeted a little in his sleep, but didn't wake up. He looked calm, free from the pain he exhibited earlier. Unable to bring herself to leave him there, she sat on the ground next to the sofa and just looked at him. His sleeping face was a few inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her face. There were a few strands of hair that fell across his forehead. Before she realized what she was doing she brought her hand up to push the hairs away. A smile crept on her face as she continued to observe him. She didn't know what came over her, what compelled to simply sit and watch over him for a bit. Maybe she was afraid that he would somehow disappear if she turned around or something.

Emma didn't know how long she was sitting for, but when the first yawn came she realized it was probably time for her to sleep as well. With another yawn she stood up and stretched. She gave into the impulse to lean down and gently kiss his temple. She jerked back when she realized what she did. Even though he was still fast asleep, she tried to control her blush and walked to her bedroom, turning off all the lights on the way. She quickly got ready for bed, all the while trying to calm down her racing heart.

Once in bed, Emma tried her best to fall asleep. However, her thoughts kept drifting back to the man in her living room, to how worn down he looked at her doorstop. She didn't know how and when Killian Jones grew on her, but after tonight Emma could finally admit that, on some level, she cared about this person. They were similar, after all. They were on equal ground. They had an unspoken _understanding_. Unlike with Neal… she thought they were meant to be, that they were in "love" and other bullshit like that. After what he did to her, what he did that completely and utterly _broke_ her… And Killian was the same way. Emma had only just begun her journey to heal and she had this feeling in her gut that he needed her help kickstarting his… And she _will_.

She only had one last thought before finally succumbing to sleep: _I wonder if he likes waffles for breakfast…_

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Thanks again for reading! Reviews and criticisms are welcomed. Have an awesome day, you amazing person. :]


	3. The Doughnut Run

**The Doughnut Run** [College AU]

**Summary**: Emma and Killian go on a late night doughnut run and get lost.

**A/N**: This installment is based off a real life event when my friend & I got lost on our own doughnut run. I wrote this bit up in about half an hour during a study break a few days ago (I still have finals -sobs grossly-). It's nothing more than a little drabble-ish thing, but I hope you guys enjoy it :]

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"Explain to me why I'm doing this again."

"My car is still in the shop, you're not doing anything better right now, and I want doughnuts."

"It's past _midnight_."

"Which is why we're driving to the 24 hour place in the next town over. Now shut up and keep driving."

"I'm trusting your directions to this place, lass. I've never been there before."

"It's not that hard to get to, Killian. Have some faith."

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"You couldn't have just exited through the same way we came in, could you?"

"That area was coned off! I wasn't about to run over some drunk people just to get to the of drunk people, why didn't you tell me this shop was next to a bloody _dive bar_?"

"Doughnuts shouldn't be subjected to the environment they're sold in!"

"A lass that I'm pretty sure wasn't a lass tried to convince me to _go home with him_. And now we have no idea where are. IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID DOUGHNUTS THAT WE'RE LOST."

"… Just keep driving."

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"Okay, that city sign is definitely nowhere _near_ where our apartment is."

"Killian, shut up. I'm loading the GPS on my phone."

"Why didn't you do that earlier?"

"Because it's on less than 10% battery."

"_Emma_."

"Calm down. We'll be back home before you know it."

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"How the fuck did we end up almost 45 minutes away from town?"

"Killian…"

"NO. YOU. JUST- no. I'm turning around and I will get us back home, where I can be back in my warm bed. That's where I should have been for the past _two hours_."

"Ki-"

"STOP TALKING."

He munched on his doughnut angrily.

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It was a little past 3:30 AM when they came up into the drive way. Emma and Killian sat in the car in silence.

"Well… we made it," Emma said softly. Killian merely grunted. He got out of his car and Emma followed suit. They trudged up the four flights of stairs to their floor in silence.

"Wait." Emma grabbed Killian's arm before he could take out his house key. Still feeling disgruntled, he didn't look at her.

"Look, I'm sorry that we got lost. I didn't think we'd end up driving around for so long like that."

Emma stared at the ground, hand still around his arm. Killian side-glanced at her and sighed. He raised his other arm and patted her head. "Don't worry about it. I get easily irritable when I'm tired."

She looked at him from under her lashes. He gave her a weary smile.

"I'll make it up to you Killian."

With a smirk, he leaned down to her and whispered seductively, "I'm sure you will."

Emma let go of his arm in surprise and stared at him. She then groaned. "It's too late at night to be dealing with this shit."

"Don't you mean too early in the morning, love?"

"Watch it, Irish-pants."

Killian chuckled. He took out his keys and unlocked his door. "I guess I'll be seeing you later, at a more _sane_ time I'm sure."

Emma let out a soft laugh as well. "I guess so. Good night, Killian."

He reached his hand out and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, smiling at her. "Good night Emma." He went into his apartment and gently shut the door behind him. A wide smiled graced her face, and it didn't leave until she entered her own apartment.

Going out for those doughnuts and getting lost was definitely worth it.

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As always reviews and criticisms are welcome. Thanks again for reading. You have a wonderful time being you, you beautiful, amazing human being. :]


	4. The Morning After

**The Morning After** [College AU]

**Summary**: Killian wakes up to a cooked breakfast after crashing on Emma's couch the night before.

**A/N**: I finally managed to spit this sucker out. I had the beginning and the ending written out, but for the longest time I had no idea how to write the middle. -_- But at long last here it is! It's another installment in my Captain Swan College AU and is the sequel to Late Night Facial. Happy reading, everybody! :]

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Killian awoke to the smell of cinnamon, syrup, and waffles. Bleary-eyed, he sat up and brought his hand to his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to recall the dream he had last night.

He was a dashing young pirate, albeit a few years older than his current self. Dashing, yet burdened with the revenge of killing the demon who murdered his love- _Milah_… It was an odd sort of dream, practically fantastical. He's had quite a few dreams like this ever since his former lover left him to rot. It was a sign of his dedication to her, of how much he still loved her. This dream was merely part of a collection of similar dreams, all of which spiraled into nightmares. Last night, however, welcomed a new player. A blonde warrior, determined to find her lost son, accepted him into her party. What was a few hours of sleep for him felt like weeks, months, in his dream. He slowly forgot about avenging his lost love as a seed of hope began to bloom in his chest. This new woman in his dream became his salvation, his new shining star, and _she looked an awful lot like Emma_.

Killian furrowed his brows in concentration trying to recall more of the dream, but the harder he tried to recall the details the faster they seemed to slip away. Within the minute he woke up he barely remembered the dream at all. Instead, he was left with a general feeling that something had changed… and that it was for the better.

It was only when he removed the blanket from his body did he realize he wasn't in his bed. He wasn't even in his own apartment for that matter. Killian scrunched his nose in confusion, his half-awake state clouding his senses.

"Look who's finally awake."

The feminine voice startled him. He looked over the couch towards the kitchen and the sight made his heart stop. Emma, who was standing behind the bar counter, had on one of her usual black tank tops, and on top of that a worn floral apron. Her hair, which was curled, was tied in a high ponytail. Her bangs were tucked behind her ears. She was in the process of placing the last waffle on a plate. Soft morning light filtered through the window she was standing in front of, adding an almost halo effect, truly solidifying his first impression of that _beautiful ang__el._

Killian saw her eyes settle on him. "You alright there, buddy?"

He quickly looked away and ran his hand through his hair, pretending to still be in the process of waking up. He got up and stretched, walking over to where Emma was standing. She was pouring two glasses of orange juice. Killian leaned against the counter, taking in the meal she prepared. There was a big plate with a stack of waffles on it. Two smaller plates rested on either side of it. The glasses of orange juice were set by each plate. A bottle of maple syrup was set in the middle of the arrangement.

"What's all this for?"

"I just figured you'd be hungry when you woke up." She removed her apron and set it on the hook next to the oven. "It's not much… but I thought you'd like a warm breakfast." She shrugged nonchalantly, trying to play off the nervousness he could detect from her. Open book, after all.

Killian was touched at the gesture and smiled warmly at her, holding her gaze once their eyes were locked. "I appreciate it, lass."

He took a seat on a stool and motioned at her to do the same. They both began eating their breakfast in silence.

"Are the waffles okay?" Emma asked, taking a quick sip of her orange juice.

"Aye, they're great. They're… banana waffles?"

"Cinnamon banana waffles. Can't go wrong with that combo."

"Hm."

Another blanket of silence fell over them, both lost in their own thoughts.

What was he even doing here? Killian was drifting in and out of a nightmare last night – one of his usuals – until he couldn't take it anymore… and his first instinct was to come over here, to where Emma was. He told her that it was an accident coming over, that he didn't quite realize what he was doing. But he did. And when she opened her door he was stunned that she was there. He recalled mentally berating himself for bothering someone so late at night and was going to go back to his place. He didn't expect for Emma to stop him and invite him into her apartment, but once there, he could feel himself gradually relaxing to the point where he fell asleep with ease. He remembered holding Emma's hand, and how just that small contact filled him with a certain warmth. Something he remembered feeling when he was with Milah.

_Milah_.

He felt his body tense at the thought of her name. He gave her everything he could offer, bared his soul to her foolishly thinking that she reciprocated his feelings in their entirety. He thought she was going to leave her husband for him, to run away with him, to travel the world, to grow old together. Such disgusting naivety he had. After being abandoned at such a young age and having to grow up alone, he was starving for affection. He thought he found it in Milah. He thought wrong. He chose her… and the consequences from that decision were not worth it.

Killian stole a quick glance at his neighbor. Then there was Emma. Wonderful, beautiful, amazing Emma. She was an open book to him, and he knew that she had hurt just like him. They both were two peas in a pod, really. It must be divine intervention or the sort that made the two of them neighbors. It's a shame that didn't share any classes together.

_Speaking of class_…

Killian took a look at her kitchen clock and dropped his utensils in surprise. "It's _9:30_?!"

Emma raised her eyebrow at him inquisitively.

"I have a quiz for Econ at 10. Buggering fuck!"

Emma looked on in amusement as Killian shoveled the rest of his waffles into his mouth and chugged his orange juice right after.

"Don't worry about the dishes. I got them," she said while Killian was near choking on his beverage. He managed to sputter out a "thanks" in between thumps to his chest. Forget about his quiz, he had to make sure he lived to see the next five minutes. And all at once life seemed to seize him in that moment. It was becoming difficult to breathe and his vision was becoming blurry. The room seemed to be getting smaller, collapsing around him. He shakily placed his hands on the counter to ground himself, trying to focus on what little reality he could grasp. The dreams, Milah, the overwhelming emotions that came with recollections of the past, and the straw that broke the camel's back was a stupid Econ quiz.

He wanted to laugh bitterly at his predicament. _Definitely an epic way to go, Jones. Death by orange juice._

Suddenly he felt something warm on his right hand. It covered his entire hand, seeping in between his fingers. There was another sensation of warmth on his right shoulder blade, making soothing circles that gradually calmed him down. In a moment of clarity Killian realized that this soothing warmth were hands – _Emma's hands_. His eyes trailed from her hands to her arms and continued upwards until he met her worried expression.

"Are you okay, Killian?"

He looked down at the counter at his – her – _their_ hands. Reminiscent of her actions the night before, he flipped his right hand over and entwined his fingers with hers and squeezed lightly. Killian chanced another look at the clock. Barely five minutes had passed. He stood up suddenly and faced Emma, his hand still holding hers. She looked up him with wide eyes, not expecting the close proximity. He lowered his head down until his forehead was touching hers. His eyes fluttered closed, and for that moment, everything that worried him melted away. Emma seemed to have that effect on him. Whenever he was with her, he could forget about the skeletons in his closet. It was as if she possessed some sort of magic powers that could help heal him. A smile crept on his face, and when he pulled away he was absolutely beaming. He noted that she looked slightly flushed from his actions.

"You're bloody amazing."

Emma scrunched her nose and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "I didn't do anything…"

"You did everything." Killian squeezed her hand once more before letting go. "Thank you, Emma."

His words were heavy with emotions he couldn't explain, but he hoped that with those three words he was able to convey what he meant to her. He saw something pass in her eyes before realization dawned. If his smile could get any wider it certainly did when Emma smiled back at him.

Killian took one more look at the clock. It was a little past 9:40 now. "Now I'm really going to be late for class." He sighed.

"If you start running by 9:50 you'll only be a few minutes late. Channel your inner Ussain Bolt."

He chuckled and shook his head. "You _would_ say something like that, lass."

Emma grinned, then turned him around and proceeded to shove him towards to door.

"Get going! Go go go!"

Killian opened the door, and before leaving, he turned around to Emma one last time. This woman has no idea what kind of effect she has on him… Or maybe she does. The whole 'open book' deal could be a two-way street. They seem to have quite a few intimate moments like these, and they've all been taken in stride. They… have an understanding of each other. Tired of looking out for just themselves… maybe, just maybe…

He smiled at her and closed the door.

_A new shining star, eh?_

* * *

As always, reviews and criticisms are always welcomed! Hope you all didn't die from Colin's interview today like I did (it's my ghost that's uploading this :P). Have a wonderful day, you amazing person. :]


	5. Bug Attack

**Bug Attack** [College AU]

**Summary**: Emma finds herself in an unexpected situation and Killian finds himself a new hero.

**A/N**: I don't even know. I wrote this in about 20-30 minutes. This idea just popped in my head when I remembered my roommates' & my reaction when we had a giant flying bug in our apartment. I've been having writer's block for my other installment (if you follow my tumblr you'll know which one), but by golly it will get done! In the meanwhile, happy reading! :]

* * *

Emma was trudging wearily down the hallway back to her apartment. She had to take a double shift at the diner that night in order to ensure that she would have the night before her midterm free. Even though she managed to wrangle a scholarship, the money only covered school-related fees, living conditions and other things be damned. It also sucked having to maintain at least a 3.25 GPA to keep her scholarship. Small story short: Emma Swan was tired and stressed out and wanted to sleep. It was when she was walking past Killian's apartment when she heard a scream and something crashing.

_What the hell?!_

Fatigue momentarily forgotten and panicked, Emma found herself pounding on her neighbor's door.

"Jones? Are you okay in there?" She could hear shuffling movement, but the door remained closed.

_Oh my god is he okay? Did something happen? Is he being robbed? Murdered? Has he fallen and can't get up?!_

Emma mentally smacked herself for the Life Alert reference.

Before she was about to unleash a new series of knocks, the door slowly opened, revealing a frantic, wide-eyed Killian wielding a… rolled up newspaper?

"… Swan?"

"I, uh, I heard yelling and thought you were in trouble. Is everything alright?"

Killian narrowed his eyes at her, as if analyzing her. Emma stared back in confusion. Wasn't he going to answer her?

"How good are you with bugs?"

_What?_

"What?"

"How good are you with bugs?" he repeated.

Emma put two and two together and wanted to facepalm.

"Are you serious? It sounded like you were being killed in there or something."

"If this foul creature stays in my apartment any longer I may as well have been killed."

The utter seriousness his tone held and his stoic facial expression almost made Emma snicker, but she managed to stifle her laughter and rolled her eyes instead. "Don't you think you're over exaggerating just a bit?"

"You have to see it to believe me."

"Well then. Show me the beast."

Killian ushered her in and looked at where he was pointing. There on his wall was one of those flying spider-looking bugs (hell if she knew what they were actually called). She turned back at him and sighed. "This is what you were trying to kill? It's not that big."

"Not that big? _Not. That. Big?_ Do you need bloody glasses, lass?!"

Emma couldn't believe how much of a baby he was being. Who would have thought that Mr. I-Can-Charm-The-Ladies-With-My-Sexy-Accent had a serious bug phobia? Definitely not her. Seriously, someone with that hair and those eyes should-

"Fine, fine. Here, give me the newspaper."

Killian handed her the rolled-up paper, and with a few confident steps and a loud _thwack_ the little beastie that had been terrorizing him for the past twenty minutes was now a permanent member of the deceased bugs club. The corpse was flattened against the paper, a light stain left on the wall. Emma walked toward Killian and waggled the paper at him. He took a few steps back and glared.

"Don't you dare, Swan."

"Actually, I do dare." Emma smirked. "But luckily for you, I'm tired and feel like I can collapse any minute now." She tossed the offending article in the trash and wipe the imaginary dust off her hands. She made her way to the door and opened it, but before leaving she pointed a finger at her neighbor. "But watch out, buddy. Next time you won't be so lucky."

"My hero," Killian deadpanned. "Wow, aren't you friend of the year."

Emma stopped in her tracks. "…Friend?"

Killian stared at her. "I'm pretty sure we're friends at this point, Sw- _Emma_."

She resisted the urge to shiver. This was ridiculous. She just acted as pest control for an over-sized toddler and here he was changing the mood of the situation. Unless, of course, that was all in her head and she was going crazy from being super tired and _man did her name sound fabulous rolling off his lips._ But friends? Emma Swan doesn't do friends. Friends mean letting people in, and letting people in leads to being vulnerable and getting hurt. She couldn't go through that again. Yet she couldn't deny that had something. She felt it when they first met, which is why she tried acting cold in the first place. She was only trying to protect herself. But he kept getting under her skin without even trying, already knowing her so well for the short amount of time they've known each other. And here she was, willing to kill a bug for him at some godforsaken hour, and she was the one who checked up on him in the first place. At that thought Emma could almost feel a chain on her heart break away.

_To hell with it_.

Emma looked at him for a moment and gave a small smile. "Sure we are, _Killian_."

And with that she left his apartment, feeling a bit lighter than she had in a while.

* * *

As always, thanks for the read! Reviews and criticisms are welcome. YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY, YOU!


	6. First Encounter

**First Encounter** [College AU]

**Summary**: Killian tries making his apartment feel more like home when hears a crash outside. Little does he know that he's going to meet the person that will change his life forever.

**A/N**: It's finally here! Good grief. Apologies ahead of time to any grammar errors, transition oddities, & whatnot. I really wanted to get this up as soon as I was done. I hope you all enjoy it! :]

**A/N 2**: Also, I had a review concerning where in the timeline "Bug Attack" took place. I guess it'd be 2 1/2 - 3 weeks into their newfound relationship. Yeah that sounds reasonable... :T

* * *

Killian sighed when his clock fell off the wall for the third time.

"I give up on you, you blasted thing!" he growled, ruffling his hair with both hands in frustration. He was in his living room attempting to make his new home, well, homely. It would appear, however, that whatever higher power that was in charge of interior decorating wished nothing but pain on the new tenant. Killian eyed the side table that was pressed flush against the wall. He picked up the godforsaken clock and set it on the table, propped against the wall. He put his television remote in front of it so it wouldn't topple over. "…Good enough."

Killian moved into his studio apartment the day before and unpacked the bare essentials before he knocked out on his bed. The layout wasn't too shabby. There was a living room and a small kitchen, then off to the side was a bedroom with a connecting bathroom. As he said yesterday, "Home sweet home."

This apartment was the start of something new. Killian was in his fourth year of undergrad. He made the decision to transfer to the university after certain… _unsavory_ incidents occurred back in his previous home. New start, new life. No one knew him here. He could start anew. But it wouldn't hurt to pick up the phone and dial _her_ number, just to see how she was doing. She couldn't have cut him off entirely like that, especially when she seemed just as invested in their relationship as he was… Killian made his way to pick his phone off the kitchen counter. He stared at it, still deciding whether to call _her_ or not. He clicked open his contacts and scrolled to the "M"s. His thumb hovered over her name, and before he could press it he heard a loud crash and loud swearing from right outside his door.

Startled and curious, Killian stuffed the phone in his jeans pocket and made his way to the door. He opened it to reveal _a beautiful angel that fell from the sky_. He blinked. A blonde girl, her hair in disarray and eyebrows scrunched, was on her knees putting scattered items in a cardboard box. She didn't seem to notice the opened door as she continued to swear under her breath. Killian leaned against the door frame watching her for a moment. His eyebrows raised in amusement at the colorful curses spewing from her mouth.

"Need a hand, lass?"

The girl jolted and looked at him in surprise. A brief flicker of uneasiness appeared on her face before a mask of cool indifference replaced it. "No, that's okay. I got it." She put the remaining items in the box and hoisted it up. Killian continued to look at her as she continued down the hall. He noticed her untied shoelace, but before he could call out to her she stepped on it and went toppling over again. Killian closed his door and rushed over to make sure no harm came to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, crouching down. He made to place his hand on her shoulder, but she flinched and shrugged his hand off. The woman groaned and rubbed her forehead, mumbling something indistinct. He assumed it was another variation of her oh so interesting choice of words.

A few of her possessions were laid out on the floor. Killian made to help the young woman by putting them back in the box she was carrying. There was a well-worn copy of J. M. Barrie's _Peter Pan_ on its side. A few small notebooks – journals maybe? – were scattered as well. There were a few other writing utensils and smaller trinkets scattered about. One that particularly caught his eye was what seemed to be a keychain. It was silver, small, and circular and seemed to have an engraving of some sort of bird on it…

The keychain was snatched from his grasp. "What do you think you're doing?"

Killian turned his head towards her and arched his eyebrow. The nameless woman was glaring at him, as if accusing him of some dire crime. He idly noted that the keychain she grabbed was in a death grip in her left hand, her knuckles slowly going white.

"I'm helping you," he said slowly, trying to enunciate his intentions behind the reply. Honestly, were people that paranoid these days? There's nothing wrong with a person trying to be a good samaritan.

"I don't need any help."

"Look, darling, I don't mean any trouble. You fell. I came to see if you were alright. That's all."

_Not to mention that you're absolutely _beautiful.

Killian mentally shook off the thought. He quickly picked up the rest of her things and placed them in the box. He felt her analyzing him the entire time.

_What's her deal, anyways?_

He stood up and picked up the box. She stood up as well, her keychain pocketed away. When he made to hand it over to her he saw that her expression was slightly apologetic.

"Sorry… it's just that the… place I lived in before wasn't in the best of neighborhoods." She took the box from his hands, their fingers slightly brushing against each other.

There was something. Not a spark. Not a sudden burst of electricity at the small contact. But something _there_. Something that was practically tangible, within reach. Like it was meant to be. But what was 'it'? He thought he knew, based on his prior relationship. What a lie that had been. Was this brief moment of… _whatever it was_… a lie as well? He hastily changed his train of thought before it got too far.

"Well, this place seems to be alright. I just moved in yesterday myself. I'm over in 428." He jerked his thumb back at his apartment door.

She seemed hesitant to reveal her apartment number, but relented. "I live in 426."

"Well then, love, I guess that makes us neighbors. I'm Killian by the way. Killian Jones."

The woman looked at him contemplatively

"… Emma Swan."

"Interesting name you got there, Swan."

"Sure beats yours, _Killian_."

He almost shuddered at the way his name rolled off her tongue. It sounded almost like the way _she_ would say it, but there was something more to it. As if in another lifetime her lips said his name over and over again, in the same velvet caress her voice did now. It was as if fate brought them together for this meeting. Predestination even. Maybe it wasn't a lie…

_And there goes your inner drama queen, Jones_.

"The ladies love it."

Killian wanted to cringe at the assuming looking she gave him. He cleared his throat. "Anyways, did you need a hand with moving in?"

"Why would you want to help?"

"A beautiful lass magically appears in front of my door and seems to be in dire need of assistance? How could I turn my back on a damsel in distress?"

"Watch it buddy or I'll show you some distress."

Killian took a few steps towards her, invading her personal bubble. "My, aren't you a feisty one, saying it all fierce like that. Chills, really." He smirked at her.

Emma stared at him, unamused. She appeared to be immune to whatever charm Killian was trying to lay on her. His eyes trailed from her lips to her nose… and when he finally met her eyes he almost jolted.

They were a clear sea green, like the calm before a storm. They were breathtakingly beautiful. However, there was no carefreeness that a person their age would usually have. Her eyes held an emotion that he saw every morning in his own. Of a person who was beaten down, disappointed, broken, abandoned, left in despair… of a person who had been left alone. He shifted his eyes slightly so he was looking at her forehead instead. He so desperately wanted to ask her if love was rare in her life, as it was for him. Her eyes were like an open book to him, a story he's read a million times only because they held a similar, if not the same, story as his own. Killian quickly cleared his throat and took a step back.

"But seriously, care for some help?"

"Oh, so now you're a gentleman?"

"I'm always a gentleman." He tilted his head and gave her a prize-winning smile, trying to forget his thoughts from just moments before. She folded her arms and stared at him contemplatively, arching an eyebrow at him. His smile waned and he started to feel a tad bit self-conscious. He almost wanted to start shuffling nervously under her scrutiny, but _he was__ Killian Jones _damn it; no woman had ever made him feel this uncomfortable, especially not -

"I guess I could use the help."

The reply shook him from his thoughts. "Pardon?"

"You don't look like a serial killer, and I have a few more boxes to carry. I wouldn't mind a little help," she admitted begrudgingly. She looked over the balcony. Killian followed her line of vision and saw a beat up yellow Volkswagon Beatle.

"Let me put this box in my place and I'll take you to my car."

Killian stood in the hallway while Emma went into her apartment, thinking about the impression she gave him.

_Definitely an interesting woman, that one…_

After she locked up her apartment Killian followed Emma down the stairs to her beatle. She popped open her trunk and started pulling things out.

"So, lass, where _are_ you from anyways?" he asked as she handed him a box.

Emma remained silent. She placed two more boxes on top of the one he was already carrying.

"This would go a lot smoother if you talked a bit, darling."

She gave him pointed stare and hoisted the remaining boxes into her arms. With a slight struggle she managed to shut the trunk door close. She headed back towards the stairs. He followed right after her.

"You know, most men would take your silence as off-putting," Killian said, trudging up the stairs behind her. "But me, I love a challenge." He noticed her glance back at him and he grinned in response.

"I'm concentrating on not falling with these boxes."

Killian took a few fast-paced steps so he was walking in line with her.

"Is it really that painful to talk a bit about yourself? For all I know _you_ could be the one that's a serial killer."

"I can assure you I'm not."

"That's what a serial killer would say. I'll tell you what. As long as I'm not on your list of victims I won't turn you in to the police or anything."

They both reached the fourth floor simultaneously.

"Ha ha. You're a real riot."

"It's my natural charm. I simply ooze of it."

They walked down the hallway in silence.

"… I moved from Portland."

Killian looked at her. "That's not too far."

Emma glanced at him in confusion. "Portland, _Oregon_?"

"Don't look at me like that, lass. There's one over in Maine too. Anyways, that's quite the move."

"Yeah, well, I needed the change in scenery."

Even though she said it with a neutral tone, Killian could detect the pain behind those words. Something happened back there, something that broke her further. Whatever happened only added to her ongoing pain, similar to him. Funny, how he could read her, almost as if she were an open book.

"Aye, I completely understand." His eyes met hers, and time seemed to stand still once again. They both were evaluating the other, recognizing a little of themselves in the other person. To an outsider it would have looked like an intense stare down, but to them it was another way of communicating without words. He wondered what exactly she was thinking at that moment, and if it was along the same lines as him. Emma blinked and slid her glance to the side. The moment was gone.

"We're here," she breathed out. They had unknowingly stopped in front of her door.

Emma placed her boxes on the ground and grabbed her apartment keys from her pocket. She opened the door and sort of kicked the boxes over the threshold. She looked at Killian expectantly. He kneeled and placed the boxes in her apartment just by the door. He stood straight up and noticed her looking at him the whole while. He raised his eyebrow inquisitively at her, and in kind she mirrored his expression. He smirked. She rolled her eyes.

She leaned against the door frame, placing her right hand on it to steady her. The other was in her pocket, seemingly holding onto an object placed in there. "Thanks for the help. I got it from here." Her tone of voice was void of emotion. Stoic. Just like when he first talked to her those couple minutes ago. He could tell that she was pushing him away. Why did that _bother_ him so much?

Killian leaned in towards her and said, "Try something new, darling. It's called _trust_."

He noticed her grip on the door frame tighten. He sighed.

"Look, you're new around here, as am I. If you need a friend or just someone to talk to, darling, I'll be here." Killian held out his hand for a handshake, looking at her face.

There was something about this woman that he couldn't put his finger on .He hasn't been around her for more than maybe twenty, thirty minutes but he already felt this connection. It was something new. It gave him a spark of hope. It was the light at the end of a very long, very dark tunnel. New town, new life, right?

Emma looked at his outstretched hand, as if contemplating something. She looked at him and appeared to analyze him for some reason. It didn't seem like she was going to shake his hand. Just as he was about to take back the proffered hand, she shrugged her hand out of her pocket and shook it, giving him a small smile.

They held hands a beat longer than would have been deemed appropriate before Emma let go of his hand.

"Well then, Jones. Can I offer you a drink? I did some grocery shopping earlier so I have water, milk, and some lean, mean, pulp-free OJ to offer you." Her smile turned into a teasing smirk. "It's the least I can do since you helped me carry all my crap up four flights of stairs, Irish-pants."

Killian managed to regain his ability to speak. "'Irish-pants'? Don't you think we're moving a bit too fast, talking about my pants and all?" He grinned at her. His grin widened when he saw her roll her eyes.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

Killian shrugged. "Sure, why not. I gave up trying to decorate my place earlier."

"Well then, neighbor. Welcome to 'Casa de Swan'."

He followed Emma into her apartment and shut the door after him.

And not once during his time with her and for the rest of that day did he think about making that long forgotten phone call.

* * *

Reviews and criticisms are always welcome! Thanks again so much for reading this story! You all mean so much to me. Have a wonderful day, you beautiful person!

Side note: That clock thing that happens to Killian is totally what happened to me and my roommates when we moved into our apartment two years ago. We were trying to put the clock on the wall, but we weren't allowed to use nails or screws (idk weird apt), so we got those sticky hook things. Long story short, we stuck the clock on that but it fell, and in the process the hook ripped off the wall, and in doing so ripped off a few layers of the paint. We were freaking out and my roommate's mom and aunt came in the next day to help us paint over it. Luckily we weren't charged for it when we moved out... Ha... ha ha... So yeah, our clock was pretty much held up by the tv remote in the same fashion, because that's how we rolled.


	7. Jell-O

**Jello** [College AU]

**Summary**: Emma gets convinced to donate blood and drags Killian along with her. One of the snacks provided after the ordeal seems to confuse Killian.

**A/N**: Wow it's been so long. I've been out of the country for the past month and actually got back a few days ago. This isn't much, but I thought I'd put up a little something before actually writing something a tad more lengthy. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people that favorited/followed TCE during the time I was gone. Thanks to you all so much for taking the time to read it! It really means a lot to me that so many people seem to enjoy this story. Anyways, hope you enjoy this little installment. :]

**A/N #2**: Also, this bit takes place about a month and a half after they first met, just to give you all a rough timeline.

* * *

Killian froze in place, a mixture of horror and confusion etched into his features.

"What the hell is that?"

Emma swiveled her chair around to face him. She hadn't heard him enter the room. Earlier that day she and Killian got together for a quick lunch in between classes. While leaving the food court, they had the fortune (or misfortune, depending on how you look at it; it's common practice to avoid eye contact with people who hand out flyers or booth for their clubs) to pass by Graham Humbert, a mutual friend and president of an animal rescue organization. He was advertising for a blood drive that was going on that day at the student health center. Emma usually isn't big on the whole "having blood sucked out of you and put into a bag where you can see" shtick, but Graham had a way with words. Killian agreed to do it as well, and it might have been her imagination but she thought he signed up for the same time slot as her because of googly eyes Graham was giving her. Who knows. But the blood was taken. The deed was done. Which brings them to this moment. The glorious post-donation bliss where you're given a table laden with snacks of all sorts to choose from to help replenish the lost blood.

Killian pointed at the snack she was eating. It jiggled. It wobbled. It was unnatural. "What the bloody hell is it?"

"It's jello."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"I was hoping it was a hallucination."

He came further into the room and took a seat. Emma rolled her eyes. "You didn't donate enough blood to warrant hallucinations, you know."

"My, don't you sound all fancy and sophisticated."

"Hey, gotta put our college education to some use right?"

Killian grabbed a plastic fork from the container on the table and took a poke at the jello.

"Hey!"

After a few more pokes, he set his fork down, and with a look of almost pain, he asked, "If it's jello... why is it blue?"

Emma bursted out laughing. Killian scrunched his nose in annoyance. "Oi! Don't laugh, lass! I'm asking a serious question."

"I'm sorry... It's just... You sounded just like Karen!"

"Who the blazes is this Karen?"

"She's from _Mean Girls_. You know, Lindsay Lohan's last good movie."

"... You need to stop making pop culture references."

"Well, you need to get out from your cave and become more cultured."

Killian gave a huff and mumbled something that was mostly likely insulting. Emma paid him no mind and took another bite of her jello.

"You still haven't answered my question." Emma raised her eyebrow, silently urging him to go on. "Why is it blue?"

"Why is it bothering you so much?"

"Because jello is supposed to be either green or red, not a smurf abomination!"

"You've heard of the smurfs! Kudos to you, Irish man." Killian groaned. Emma smirked and took another bite of her jello. Killian looked almost sick watching her eat the gelatinous snack. He took a seat next to her and grabbed an apple to eat.

"You know, jello isn't all that bad."

"I never said it was. Not the normal kind anyways."

"So you're hating on my jello because it's blue? Don't be racist!"

"I wasn't- I didn't- _what_?"

A mock serious face graced Emma's face. Killian resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. The loss of blood was obviously making her act irrational. That had to be it.

"_Emma_."

"C'mon, try a small little bite." Emma held out her spoon towards him, jello wiggling in the small bowl of the utensil. Killian stared at the offensive blue food, looked up at Emma, and quickly returned his gaze to jiggly abomination.

"I refuse."

Emma raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I refuse. I'm not putting that poor excuse of food into my mo-" Killian was cut off from saying more due to the spoon being shoved in his mouth. Emma took the spoon out and waited as he chewed. And chewed. And chewed even more. Silence permeated the room after he finally swallowed the jello.

"…That was sneaky." Emma gave him her 'whatever, I'm fucking awesome' smirk. "How'd it taste?"

"Like happiness in a spoon," he replied dryly.

"You're damn right it is."

Killian just sat and stared at her in disbelief for a few moments before he chuckled.

"You're impossible, lass."

"You adore me for it."

"That I do." Killian smiled at her. Emma felt a blush coming on and distracted herself with her smurf jello.

_Damn him._

* * *

Like I said, not much, but I wanted to get something out there. I hope you all enjoyed it. Reviews & criticisms are always welcomed. Have a wonderful day, beautiful ;D

Btw, who else is counting down the days before s3 airs? I KNOW I AM.


	8. Studying for Finals a la Killian

**Studying for Finals a la Killian** [College AU]

**Summary**: This is basically "Studying For Finals" but from Killian's perspective.

**A/N**: I know that I said that I was writing something else, but I earlier today I got a PM from xarrya about how she reread TCE and got feels, which made me reread the first chapter before my lecture and I gave myself feels. Long story short, I got inspired to write that chapter in Killian's point of view. DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, HUH? It's been a while since I've uploaded anything, so I hope you all enjoy this little bit! :] (BTW for those of you on the tumblr circuit I made a sideblog solely for OUAT and Sleepy Hollow (it's an awesome show go check it out!) called captainsasschabod, so I'll be posting my future chapters, including this one, on that account now. drop by and say hi!)

**A/N 2**: So I got a guest review about how this chapter was a copy of chapter 1. That was kind of the point I was going for. It's that exact scene, but from Killian's perspective, so some parts are verbatim from ch 1. Idk sorry that just irked me a bit and I had no way of clarifying to the reviewer.

* * *

The things he did for Emma Swan.

Killian was wandering through the fifth floor of the library trying to find his neighbor. She had texted him earlier that afternoon asking if he could bring her hot chocolate and a pastry as a pick me up from all the studying she's been doing. He knew that her upcoming final was important and brain food was a must. He'd do anything to help a fellow neighbor out. That plus he was crazy heads-over-heels for her. Yeah. That probably had a lot to do with it. He was smitten. Not that Emma seemed to realize… not from his perspective, anyways. After wandering past rows of bookshelves and tables Killian finally found his Swan nestled away in a corner of the library floor.

He walked up to her slumped form and had to smile at the scene she painted. Her face was faceplanted into her textbook. There were loose papers and equation sheets scattered across the table top. Her notebook had even more formulas written in it. Empty energy drinks and snack containers were shoved to the unoccupied side of the table. She wasn't kidding about needing that pick me up.

"I have an order of one venti hot chocolate with cinnamon and a warmed chocolate chip muffin for my favorite lass."

Emma lifted her head up and saw the treats that Killian brought for her. She immediately grabbed the drink from his hands and gulped it greedily.

"Killian you're a lifesaver," she moaned. Killian was barely able to restrain the shiver threatening to travel down his spine.

_It should be illegal for her to use that tone of voice_.

"That's me, Super Killian to the rescue," he managed to say, chuckling in order to cover the weak tone of his voice. It seemed to work because Emma was still cradling her drink. He glanced at her notebook and blanched. Killian took the seat next to her and peered closer at her notes. "All I see are equations and symbols but no numbers."

Emma leaned back in her chair and groaned. Her long, slender fingers threaded through her hair, an action that Killian enjoyed thoroughly. "I _know_. I can't remember the last time I saw an actual number. Remind me again why I decided to take this class?"

There was something in the way she was looking at him that made him melt a little inside. Her eyes were big and round, begging him to distract her from the pain she was in. He smirked and slung his arm onto the back of her chair. He leaned in close and smelled that faint scent of vanilla and cinnamon that was completely and utterly Emma.

"Because I made the class sound so good?"

He could see different emotions flickering across her eyes before she rolled her eyes and took a bite out of her muffin.

"Oh beautiful muffin of chocolate, I forgot how much I love the taste of you," cooed Emma. Killian snorted at her actions.

_I know what else you could get a taste of…_

Killian smirked.

"What, no love for the handsome Irish man who went on a Starbucks run for you, darling?" He pursed his lips into what he knew was an over-the-top pout. Emma quietly laughed at him.

"Every time you do that I always think of Flynn from _Tangled_."

"You wound me, love. If anything I would be a more roguish Disney character, like that Jack Sparrow. Now there's a man I can admire."

"If we're choosing from Disney pirates then you'd be Captain Hook."

Killian clutched his heart with his free hand. "Captain Hook? Lass, you wound me ever so. Have you not seen me?"

"You can totally pull off the oversized hat and pointy mustache look," teased Emma, continuing to take small bites of her muffin. Her eyes fluttered a bit. "Mhm yes. This was most definitely needed," she moaned.

Did that vixen not know what she was doing to him making sounds like that? He'd imagine her making those noises in other more enjoyable activities, especially with her on her back, face flushed with the heat of desire, her eyes begging for him and him alone… How dare that bloody muffin evoke a reaction that he could only dream about?

Killian grabbed Emma's hand that held the offending pastry and took a bite of it, maintaining eye contact with her the entire time. He chewed deliberately slowly, savoring the bite. He noticed a slight pink tinge spreading across Emma's cheeks. Just as planned. He let go of her hand and smirked. "I can see why this treat would get you so… _excited_."

_Damn this muffin. It's delicious_.

Emma blinked once and proceeded to smack his head.

"What the bloody hell?!"

"Forget being Captain Hook. You should be called Captain Innuendo."

Killian chuckled. "Darling, you know you adore my teasing, especially when they elicit such _telling _reactions from you." She rolled her eyes in response.

"You know, I heard that if you roll your eyes too many times they get stuck like that."

Emma rolled her eyes again, probably to spite him. Killian crinkled his in amusement.

She finished the last bit of her muffin and took a swig of her hot chocolate, glancing at her textbook and notebook. "Don't you also have finals to study for?"

"Me? Why, I finished my last one this morning."

_And thank all things holy for that._

"You lucky bastard."

"I know. My lovely mistress the bed has been deprived of me all week. I now have the chance to come back and show her just how much I missed her. We will have such a torrid love affair tonight. I apologize for all the noise ahead of time, love."

Emma facepalmed, causing Killian to burst into a fit of laughter. Her reactions never fail to entertain him. The pair received an annoyed "Shhh!" from a nearby table. Emma smacked Killian once more as he calmed himself.

"What would my life be like without you, Killian?"

"What indeed," he murmured softly. Killian life had changed for the better ever since he met this incredible person, this wonderful and utterly amazing woman. He smiled at how lucky he was to have her. Emma turned to look at him and his heart started beating faster. He could feel his chest swell with something warm and pleasant, like he was going to burst from all the emotions he was feeling. He had to leave, fast, before he gave into his desires.

"Well, darling, I'm beat. I'm going to head back to my place and sleep like the dead."

He was leaving. Yes. Leaving. Killian stood up and was about to head out, but at the last second he placed a hand on her shoulder. So much for not giving in. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, trailing his lips to the shell of her ear. "Good luck, Emma."

He breathed her in. Her scent was intoxicating. She turned her head so she was looking right at him. Mere inches separated their faces. Her eyes bore into his, trying to read him as usual. He learned long ago that he doesn't mind it. In fact, he gladly welcomes it in its entirety, and he would do all he could to take her in whole. His eyes traveled down to her lips, and wondered if they would taste as wonderful as the way she smells. He noticed her eyes also straying from his own. She angled her head upwards, bringing her lips marginally closer to his. When their eyes connected again, a shock of electricity coursed through him. The intensity of his gaze increased, and he could feel his resolve crumbling away. He leaned in closer to her, his hand moving from her shoulder to cup her cheek. He brought his lips dangerously close to hers, practically tasting the heated flesh that he knows will be _absolutely perfect_ and-

"Emma! There you are!"

The two jolted back from each other and swiveled their heads in the direction of the call. A blonde woman, maybe Emma's classmate, was walking towards them. "Sorry I took so long. I had trouble finding this place." She stopped when she realized Killian was also there. "Hi I'm Ashley! Are you here to study with us too?"

Killian shook himself out of his stupor and gave the girl a tight smile. "Nope. I just dropped by to give Emma her drink. I'll leave you two lovely lasses to your studying." With a nod to Emma, he walked away from the table.

He quickly walked past the bookshelves and headed for the door leading to the stairwell. Once he shut the door he leaned against it and let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Killian brought his hand to his face and sighed.

_What the hell did I almost __**do**__?!_

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this bit! I should be updating a bit more often now that I'm back in school (and in my final year of undergrad eek!). Reviews and criticisms are welcomed with open arms. Until next time! :]

LESS THAN 72 HOURS UNTIL EPISODE TWO AHHH WHO'S EXCITED?!


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